Written by: Electrification Coalition

There are many signs that 2018 will be a monumental year for EVs. Last year, many automakers committed to some form of vehicle electrification. In addition, 2017 saw record numbers of EVs hit the road across the US. There is a lot of momentum in the world of EVs, and it looks like consumers will see a much more matured EV market in 2018.

To identify trends in the EV market, one can simply take a look at where the money is going. A Reuters analysis shows that recent total investments in batteries and EV technology from many of the world’s major automakers totals over $90 billion and continues to grow. Automakers who are stepping up to the plate on electrification include Ford, Daimler, Volkswagen, GM, Tesla, and several Chinese automakers. Reuters says the following EV investments have been announced to date: $52 billion in Germany, $21 billion in China, and $19 billion in the United States.

These massive investments follow a wave of new transportation regulations. 2017 saw many of the world’s largest economies put a deadline on the combustion engine. Counties such as Germany, China, France, India, and Britain have set dates after which they will not be allowed to sell diesel or gasoline-powered cars within their borders. California is also currently considering putting a deadline on the combustion engine, with the earliest suggested ban deadline being a decade away. The people have spoken and automakers are listening.

2018 also promises to be a great year for the Chevy Bolt and the Nissan LEAF, two of the most beloved EVs on the road. The Bolt saw great sales in 2017, and 2018 will be the first full year in which it is available nationwide. Nissan is giving their LEAF a major refresh with all-new styling, increased range, and a load of other high-tech upgrades.

Know anyone who is waiting for their Tesla Model 3? The much-anticipated and hotly-demanded Tesla Model 3 officially went into production in 2017, but production issues resulted in very low volume production. It looks like 2018 will be, for the vast majority of Tesla customers, the real year of the Model 3. With more than 400,000 pre-orders on the books and production rates currently at 1,000 vehicles per week (and expected to rise to 5,000/week by June), you should begin to see the first mass-market Teslas in your town or city this year.

All these trends and announcements add up to a truly exciting and interesting year ahead. What are you most excited for in the world of EVs in 2018? Are there any big trends or developments that haven’t been included here? Reach out to us on Twitter @Fleets4Future or @ElectricRoadmap and let us know!

After much anticipation, the first Fleets for the Future (F4F) national public-sector procurement window is now open. From October 1-31, 2017, participants will have access to exclusive deals on alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) through two National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA)-awarded contract vendors: Zenith Motors and National Auto Fleet Group (NAFG).

Zenith Motors is offering F4F participants their complete line of 100% electric step vans, cargo vans, and shuttle vans with the opportunity for a bulk discount in the month of October. Those that place an order through Fleets for the Future can get up to 7% off NJPA’s members-only pricing on these AFVs. The more vehicles that are purchased through F4F, the larger the total discount for participants of the program. The Zenith Motors vehicles will not only help your fleet reduce carbon emissions, but can save your public organization over $100,000 on operational costs over the lifetime of one van.

Also in October, NAFG will be holding their pricing on six of their most popular clean energy vehicles specifically for the F4F national procurement. The vehicles available through this initiative include: the 2018 Chevrolet Volt; the 2019 Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan; the 2018 Ford Transit Van T-150 (Includes 21GGE compressed natural gas fuel system); and the 2018 Ford F-150 XL 2WD Regular, Supercab, and Supercrew (Includes 21GGE compressed natural gas fuel system). Because NJPA-awarded contracts hold competitive pricing compared to the rest of the market, you may not find these limited-time deals anywhere else. NAFG is also ready to customize your vehicle as needed to fit your fleet’s needs.

Want to take advantage of these nationwide opportunities? Follow these five simple steps:

On the top right-hand side of the home page, press the “Join Now” button;

Press the “Click Here to Join” button and fill out the online application to become a NJPA member. Membership is free and it will only take a few minutes to join. There is no obligation or liability from joining;

Browse NJPA’s awarded vendor contracts and select either Zenith Motors or National Auto Fleet Group; and

Use the contact information provided by NJPA to reach out to the vendor. Tell them you are interested in participating in the Fleets for the Future national procurement through NJPA and they will walk you through the rest of the process!

To see all the current national public-sector opportunities available, check out the interactive diagram at the top of F4F’s national initiatives page and be sure to follow us on Twitter @Fleets4Future. If you know of a fleet manager or fleet procurement officer at a public agency that may be interested in these opportunities, feel free to pass this information along. Be sure to keep an eye out for new opportunities and vendors as we continue our efforts through Fleets for the Future.

Fleets for the Future (F4F) worked with National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA) to help develop a new, successful nationwide competitive solicitation category: “Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment and Related Services.” This combined effort offers public fleet managers across the country more access to review and purchase Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV) and related infrastructure, one of the primary goals of the F4F national procurement initiative.

In partnership with National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA), Fleets for the Future (F4F) is offering the complete line of Zenith Motors’ 100% electric vehicles through our national procurement program. For a limited time from October 1 – 31, 2017, Zenith Motors will be providing a discount through NJPA and F4F – the more vehicles that are ordered through F4F, the larger the discount.

Fleets for the Future (F4F) would like to formally announce our partnership with National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA). Through this partnership, F4F and NJPA are coordinating a national procurement initiative to increase the deployment of alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs) and related infrastructure across the country.

So long as state and local governments are willing to get creative with funding mechanisms, a two-to-three year return on investment is easily attainable, National Association of Regional Councils environment committee members discussed on Monday at the National Conference of Regions..

Where can people park and charge an electric vehicle in downtown Frederick? Who pays for the electricity? Who installs the wires and plug-ins? These are a few of the questions the city of Frederick hopes to answer through an electric vehicle plan.

Preparing our communities for disasters and emergencies is essential for minimizing loss and ensuring swift recovery. Transportation services are a crucial aspect of emergency planning and petroleum is often in short supply when a disaster strikes. The Initiative for Resiliency in Energy through Vehicles (iREV) is addressing the challenge of these disruptions by developing resources for emergency planners to help communities integrate alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) into their fleets. Diversifying emergency response fleets, by incorporating AFVs, can help communities better prepare for disasters by removing their dependence on petroleum.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy created Clean Cities Tools, a group of resources consumers can use to calculate and inform themselves about ways to lower emissions, spend less money, and consume less petroleum. This set of tools allows consumers to compare different eco-friendly vehicles and systems; calculate the amount, cost, and impact of petroleum and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions a fleet produces; locate alternative fueling stations; research how companies, fleets, and agencies are using alternative fuel; and much more. To view apps and mobile tools, please visit cleancities.energy.gov/m and fueleconomy.gov/m.